UK, Israel ‘spies’ in Iran given 10 years

In this June 1, 2014 photo, an Iranian police officer monitors Iran’s Dogharoun border with Afghanistan, near Taibad in eastern Iran.

TEHRAN: Iran has sentenced to 10 years in prison a man convicted of spying for Britain and another to five years for collaborating with Israel, state news agency IRNA said Friday.

The report did not say whether the unidentified men, both of whom had been arrested in the southern province of Kerman, were British and Israeli nationals, or citizens of Iran.

Kerman prosecutor Yadollah Movahed said the one man was “notorious for having contacts with the British foreign secret service.”

He was “very active during the sanctions era, giving advice and collaborating with Britain in order to optimize the effects of sanctions,” IRNA quoted him as saying.

It was not clear what time frame the “sanctions era” referred to, as Iran has been under UN and Western sanctions for years over its controversial nuclear program.
IRNA said an appeals court was reviewing the sentence.

The other man was convicted of giving information to Israeli embassies in Thailand and Turkey, the agency reported, without elaborating.

In the past, Iran has announced the arrest and trial of people suspected of spying for arch-foe Israel.

In addition, Movahed said eleven people were faced with jail terms ranging from one to 11 years for “providing information to hostile media, and for contact with satellite networks, including BBC Persian.”